A Storm of Chaos (The Hunter Legacy #1)

Chapter Thirty

Felix heard panicked voices and the tapping of hurried footsteps, but above it all he recognised the familiar voice of a very impatient, very frustrated Centoren.

'Clearly,' said Felix, his voice hoarse, 'I'm not as dead as I thought I'd be.'

He opened his eyes then, finding Juris hovering over him as well as Varalyn's imposing marble statue. It took Felix a moment to recognise that he was in the centre of the entrance foyer, people fluttering about him that were not only the staff and swordsmen, but civilians who had sought shelter in the manor when they couldn't reach the underground tunnels in time.

'Sorry to disappoint you,' Addius rumbled, dropping to his knee on Felix's other side. The Centoren was haggard, his pale blonde hair still damp and pulled haphazardly into a tie, but his arithtar had eased back from the bridge of his nose with an expression Felix could only think of, mildly, as concern.

Felix tried to sit up, only for a sharp pain to splinter through his side. Juris made an indignant noise just as Felix dropped heavily back to the floor, but it was Addius who pressed a hand gently against Felix's shoulder to keep him lying down.

'Careful, kit,' Addius admonished. 'Juris is still tending to your injury, so best not to move yet.'

Felix exhaled slowly, pushing the pain to the back of his mind. 'How is Devenese?'

'We're still counting the casualties, but it is... significant,' said Addius. 'We can't be sure the Eretz won't fail again, so we'll be keeping the townspeople in the catacombs until dawn and then they'll return each night until Noah recovers or...'

Felix closed his eyes, and Addius didn't bother to finish his sentence.

'Where is Kaya?' Felix asked after a moment. 'Did you get to her before—'

'She went with Brocard and left you to die?'

'That isn't how it happened, Ads,' said Felix, frowning up at his friend. 'If it wasn't for Kaya, I might not be alive right now.'

'You're too trusting,' said Addius reproachfully.

'You're too stubborn,' Felix rebuked, but before he could get into an argument with Addius he said, 'I need to speak with the Comavren. Can you contact Nerice for me?'

Addius was reluctant to let the conversation go, but after a moment he relented and disappeared from Felix's side. Felix grimaced as he raised his arm, ignoring Juris' noise of protest, and swept his hand down his face in exhaustion. He needed to tell Addius that Brocard and Lecreux knew who Noah was, but he needed to warn the Comavren first.

Warn her of what, though? Noah had already fallen victim, and Felix didn't have any proof that Lecreux and Brocard were the reason for it. It didn't make sense for Lecreux to curse or poison Noah because Lecreux would have nothing to gain from it; when Lecreux had information on someone he was known to use it as blackmail because it gave him an advantage, an edge, over whoever he was targeting.

Besides, Noah had barely been out of Felix's sight since they arrived in Brax City and the interaction he had had with Lecreux was limited. The only time Noah and Brocard had been near each other was during their duel, and the healer had already inspected Noah's cut on his arm for any possible infection that might have given him a fever. Other than that...

They shook hands, Felix thought then, remembering the moment Noah had helped Brocard to his feet after the duel ended, ever the gentleman. And if Kaya was right in her suspicion that the illness was linked to old, unknown magic... Perhaps Brocard had cursed Noah somehow, with only physical contact needed to deliver the blow.